Reach For The Clouds: Hong Kong’s Sunset Peak

I recently went on an adventure so high, I was able to touch the clouds! It was such an amazing experience so I want to share it with all of you.

On the 14th of July 2017. The weather was great. The sun was out and loads of clouds filled the air creating those relieving patches of shade when you’re out in the sun all day long . The average temperature was 30°C. I found out about Sunset Peak on the net and I thought why don’t my friend and I take a shot at climbing this. It was only the third highest peak in Hong Kong. How hard could it be? Well, it wasn’t. We took a total of 5 hours to reach the peak (loads of places just screamed at us to take pictures) and 1.75 hours to hike down. As I’ve mentioned earlier, Sunset Peak in the third highest peak in Hong Kong. It measures at 869 m and is well known for its breath-taking natural views.

The hike was a strenuous one. Sometimes the trail was steep then it suddenly goes flat and back to steep. I am not talking about your average type of steep, it is steep enough that with each step I could feel my calve muscles just straining to lift me. As we climbed higher a coastal view of Hong Kong could be seen. It was just amazing. We spent 10 minutes just admiring the view.

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(a panoramic photo of the Lantau Area)

At the very beginning of the hike we decided to count how many butterflies we would see on trail but we were not expecting to run into their habitat. We found dozens of butterflies near the peak it, I could not resist the urge to take pictures of them. My friend had to drag me away from the site after we spent too long at that area.

(butterfly habitat)

(there are six butterflies in this picture, can you spot all of them?)

Just around the corner from there, we came upon these stone cabins in the middle of nowhere. It was surrounded by a sea of grass and a single thought rose in my head: “they can’t have cable here’’. Okay maybe not that. I was wondering why there were built and what purpose do they serve.

(20 low stone buildings in the middle of nowhere)

Upon closer inspection, I found that the doors and windows were completely shut and locked with thick pad locks. I thought that these buildings were abandoned and was just eager to learn about it history.

When I got home that night I went online and found that these buildings were made for British missionaries, around the early 1900s , who were escaping the hot weather in Hong Kong during summers. It is still privately owned and is available for booking.

The beautiful greenery all around us and the quiet atmosphere called out to us. So we settled down to have a little picnic
(BLT sandwiches from PRET just incase you wondering).

It was around here that we realized that we were just below the clouds and the chance to be enveloped by it was just within our reach so we pressed on after munching on our delicious sandwich. Just nearby the stone cabins, a colossal rock was just sitting on the edge of the cliff. Feeling daring, my friend immediately said that we should climb it. Despite my reluctance my companion wouldn't hear it.

(picture of my friend on the rock)

(sideview of the rock on the cliff)

(view from the top of the rock)

Finally we had the joy of being surrounded by the clouds and oh my was it just amazing. I felt the temperature drop all of a sudden and couldn’t see more than 5 meters in any direction. I must say that being on the same level as the clouds is an unforgettable experience. If you ever have the chance to reach for the clouds, I hope that you do go high for it.

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(area just next to the rock on the cliff)

(imagine you were in a horror film and stuck here)

Our hike started at the Pui O Lantau Trail. You can find this place by taking the 3M bus in Tung chung. Another option is taking a blue taxi outside the tung chung MTR station and ask the driver to take you to the Lantau Country Park or simply show this photo.

A fair warning if you ever want to try this trail
*The trail is quite steep so be sure to stretch and warm up a bit before you start. There are loads of stones that are in placed to
simulate stairs.
*At the top, there are barely any stairs so it may get slippery
*The descent will take a while and the stairs are more uneven than when you were going up.
*Be sure to bring a jacket (as you reach the top the temperature drops significantly)
*Be sure to pack an extra battery for your camera to capture all those scenic places

This hike took much longer and was more difficult than I thought it would be - I don’t hike very often - but once I reached the peak my weary leg muscles didn’t matter as the sensation of touching the clouds made me forget the aches, not while descending though. I really wish that I brought a jacket with me on this climb as it was quite cold near the peak. It was very unfortunate for us as our camera died before we reached the peak, Lastly, I’d like to encourage the readers to go out and explore their own hiking trails in their areas and maybe share it with me, I would be delighted to see your adventure. If you’re ever here in Hong Kong, we have loads of hiking trails with varying levels of difficulty so be sure to check them out.

Below are more pictures for you guys!

(the rock on the cliff, upclose)